Morocco's ambitions and reforms surveyed in Madrid

Days on "Morocco at the dawn of the 21st century: ambitions and major reforms" are being held in Madrid this October 13-14 under the co-chairmanship of Moroccan and Spanish foreign ministers, Abdellatif Filali and Abel Matutes.

The event, sponsored by the Moroccan-spanish Averroes Committee and the Madrid Compultense University, will debate the progress scored by Morocco during the past few years in political, economic and social fields.

Filali surveyed in an opening address the political reforms introduced by Morocco, laying a special emphasis on the consolidation of the democratic institutions, the strengthening of freedoms, the consecration of the rule of the law and the greater involvement of the civil society.

At the economic and social levels, the Moroccan foreign minister recalled the Moroccan economy liberalization moves and the reforms that paved the way for the promotion of investments, energizing of the banking and financial systems and improvement of infrastructures.

All these reforms, he said, were meant to make of Moroccan economy a modern and competitive economy, likely to be integrated in the world economic system. The reforms will also contribute to building up a modern state able to take up the challenges of global economy and to succeed in the partnership undertaking initiated during the Euro-Mediterranean Barcelona conference.

Filali renewed Morocco's commitment to integrate the Euro-Mediterranean space that must be a zone of shared prosperity and called on Spanish operators to invest in Morocco and contribute to consolidating the privileged relations binding the two countries.

The days on Morocco, attended by several members of the Moroccan government, will debate among others "New data of Moroccan politics," "Morocco's new constitutional realities and Human rights," "Moroccan political life through political parties' activities and the media," "Moroccan economy and the new challenges," "Morocco's new economic orientations" and "Morocco in the Euro-Mediterranean space."

The Averroes Committee, set up in February 1996 by virtue of the Moroccan-Spanish treaty of friendship, neighborliness and cooperation, seeks to promote understanding and entente between Moroccans and Spaniards through dialogue and mutual respect.

The committee is chaired by the two countries' foreign ministers and holds periodical meetings alternately in Morocco and Spain.